DELIRIOUSLY DETACHED: Adjusting the Disconnect Within and Outside Ourselves

DELIRIOUSLY DETACHED: Adjusting the Disconnect Within and Outside Ourselves

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admin4:02 pmJuly 28th, 2017

Natural Treatments for Anxiety

I Feel Anxious or Stressed Out. Is That Considered “Anxiety?”

Under typical life circumstances, anxiety can be a normal reaction to stressors in your environment. In today’s society however, anxiety is often excessive, cannot be controlled, and negatively impacts day-to-day living. The reason why we need to talk about it openly is because collectively, anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health challenges experienced by individuals in both Canada and the United States today.

Prevalence of Anxiety in North America

Prevalence refers to the proportion of a population who have (or had) a specific characteristic in a given time period. Data collected by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) indicated that in a recent 12 month period 18.1% of American adults suffered from some form of anxiety disorder. These disorders include but are not limited to: post-traumatic stress disorder; obsessive-compulsive disorder; and specific phobias. In Canada, the 12-month prevalence for “any anxiety disorder” is just over 12%. The Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada estimates that one in four Canadians will experience at least one anxiety disorder in their lifetimes. What you may find alarming (I sure did) is that the average age of onset of an anxiety disorder in the U.S. is 11 years of age.

Consequences of Intermittent or Sustained Anxiety

The impact on quality of life for individuals suffering with anxiety can be quite profound. If you experience a moderate to high level of anxiety intermittently (from “time to time”), the ill effects can be as detrimental as those who live with moderate to high levels of anxiety for long periods of time (defined as a year or more). There is no foundation for anxiety. In other words, there is no place in nature where there is a function or an advantage to anxiety. Anxiety is man-made, constructed and contributed to by our North American lifestyles. If you have ever experienced an anxiety disorder you know what the consequences are; major disruptions to your life in the form of damaged relationships, ineffectiveness at work, and/or impaired physical health. However, not everybody who experiences anxiety makes the connection between these deleterious effects and the anxiety itself.

Natural Treatments for Anxiety

Research on mental health epidemiology indicates that mental health challenges and disorders affect tens of millions of people each year, yet only about half of the people affected receive treatment. One source states that rates of anxiety have not shown improvement in the last 3 decades! It would appear that individuals across North America are searching for real and long-lasting treatments for their anxiety and many would prefer that their treatment be as non-invasive as possible. Some of the common natural remedies for anxiety include: meditation and relaxation therapies; yoga and other forms of exercise; hypnotherapy; herbal and vitamin supplementation; or dietary changes.

Although individual results may vary, some of these more natural treatments can be helpful for the short-term and therein lays the problem. These treatments are short-term fixes that you have to continually engage in, in order to experience results. Additionally, some of these natural treatments for anxiety address the physical symptoms but not the emotional effects. For example, yoga may help decrease that “heart racing” feeling and shortness of breath, yet within a short period of time your mind starts to recreate the physical symptoms leaving you searching for another remedy. An important thing to remember when searching for how you can overcome anxiety is this: don’t use methods designed to relieve physical symptoms expecting them to work for the emotional and mental components of anxiety.

At Blueprint for Changes we believe that all types of anxiety are a form of avoidance. Even taking medication for the treatment of anxiety is a form of avoidance because the underlying root cause(s) of the anxiety is not being addressed. Through our Symbol programs, the underlying structures of the behaviorism (anxiety) are stimulated and thus resistance is decreased. Over time this decrease in resistance eliminates anxiety and its’ negative effects. In the development phase of our Symbol programs we recognized the relevance and prevalence of anxiety in the general population. So much so in fact, that 5 out of 14 of our Symbol programs address some form of anxiety whether it be circumstantial or chronic (amongst other things).

To start real and long-lasting changes to your experience of anxiety, read how Blueprint for Changes can help you by clicking here. In the meantime if you have any questions that you can’t find an answer for on our FAQ Page, feel free to contact us at @info@blueprintforchanges.com.

2 Comments

I know. Right?
We long for peace. We long for love. But, we have erected electronic barriers all around us. There isn’t one place where people are, that you don’t hear an incessant electronic hum, as well as a cacaphony of noise not found in nature. How on earth are we supposed to connect? How could we possibly express love and caring when it’s something we can barely feel any more? How can love and caring be received when we hardly even seem wired for our most primal survival function? Do I sound upset? You bet I am! Love. Caring. I want that for me. Giving and receiving. Deeply. I want that for all of us!

I was recently attending some seminars in Orlando and much to my dismay many of the people in the meetings were looking at their phones and texting. It was very annoying and I thought, rude.
It is so true that we are are using technology in such a way that while it has opened lines of communication around the world it has also created detachment as people choose technology over personal contact.
A periodic technology detox is needed. Walk the beach and turn your phone off. Go out to dinner and leave your phone in the car. Take a tech vacation. This is something I need to do. There is peace. Turn off the tech and find it in your breath, the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, the birds singing, the gentle breeze, the crackle of a fire. Tune into it.